Free Half-Life Games Fans Can Play Now While Half-Life 3 Takes Shape

Speculation around a new Half-Life game has reached one of its loudest points in years, with renewed claims suggesting that a long-awaited return to the series may finally be taking shape.

After nearly two decades without a mainline release, fans are once again dissecting leaks, insider comments and industry events for any hint that Gordon Freeman's story might continue.

The latest rumours point towards a project allegedly codenamed HLX, with some insiders claiming the game could be titled Half-Life: Xen.

The Game Awards went by without a reveal of the next game, and fans were disappointed. Despite this, the community remains sure that a reveal is on the horizon. While the wait is long, there are ways for fans to keep themselves busy.

Free Half-Life Games Arrive on Steam

With the future of the franchise still unclear, fans looking for something more tangible now have reason to celebrate. As spotted by Comic Book, Steam has quietly released two free standalone Half-Life games that originally began life as mods for the first entry in the series.

Half-Life Legacy and Half-Life Arena are both available to download at no cost. Despite their humble beginnings, both projects have been praised for breathing new life into classic Half-Life content while respecting the original design philosophy.

Half-Life Arena, developed by Dark Vector, is a reimagining of the original game's Deathmatch mode. Matches are tighter and more intense, with new maps, additional weapons, bot support and several quality-of-life upgrades.

The experience draws inspiration from the PlayStation 2 version's head-to-head multiplayer, creating a faster-paced and more competitive spin on familiar mechanics.

Half-Life Legacy Modernises a Classic

Half-Life Legacy may prove even more appealing to long-time fans. Created by The Phoenix Project Software SVG, the game is described as the 'ultimate restoration' of the original Half-Life and is fully compatible with the HL25 engine. Its goal is not to reinvent the experience, but to make it feel more at home on modern systems.

The update includes extensive bug fixes, Steam Achievements, HD HUD scaling, dynamic lighting and the removal of the bunnyhop speed cap. Optional features such as autojump further improve accessibility, helping the game feel far more playable heading into 2026. At the time of writing, Half-Life Legacy sits at a 90% approval rating, reflecting strong community support.

While hopes for Half-Life 3 or Half-Life: Xen remain unfulfilled, projects like these demonstrate that the franchise still has a passionate and active following. Until Valve breaks its silence, free releases such as Half-Life Legacy and Half-Life Arena help fill the void left by one of gaming's most enduring cliffhangers.

Valve Waiting On Steam Machine Before Half-Life 3 Reveal

All signs point to Half-Life 3 or Half-Life Xen actually releasing. The only thing that's holding back Valve could be the release of the Steam Machine.

Revealed last month, the Steam Machine is a dedicated gaming hardware from Valve. Not much has been revealed about it, but what's known is that this will be a PC-gaming console hybrid.

Valve has yet to reveal the price of the hardware, and insiders believe the company might just be waiting for the right timing before lifting the veil. With the release of the Steam Machine, gamers expect the next Half-Life game to be released to entice series fans to buy the hardware.

While fans are eagerly anticipating the reveal of the next Half-Life game, they should keep themselves busy with the free games on Steam. Only time will tell whether the wait for Half-Life 3 will be worth it.